January 24-30, 2011

Unfortunately I had to work last week when Tom was here, but it was nice because he could do whatever he wanted during the day which involved him tooling around on my bike to the beach, the camera store, and inside the W hotel where he did creepy things like photograph the bathroom. He picked me up for lunch, and then later after work. Monday we attempted to go for a really long run, but we ran about 4+ miles to/beside the beach and then walked around. It was really windy, but it was nice to sit on the cool sand for a while. Sitting is always a bad idea because we ended up just walking all that way back home. We then walked to Winn Dixie to get ice cream and Tom's pizza rolls (ick). We didn't get home until about 10:30pm and attempted to watch The Mysterious Case of Benjamin Button, but I passed out- big surprise.

Tuesday was much of the same, except I convinced Tom to do my laundry (seriously, he is too nice sometimes). Last week and the beginning of this week I was helping one of the project managers, Justin (also from ISU), draw/render a large conceptual master plan for a project in Panama called Casamar. It was so fun to do! I love their style and how simple (but still time-consuming) their renderingtechniques are. And it was on tracing paper! Never thought that would be acceptable.

Tuesday after work, Tom and I went to Newport Beach because that was

where he and his studio were staying for the week for their project.

We hung out on the beach with his studio and then went home. The next morning I had to drive him there and then go to work. The traffic about gave me a heart attack, but it was bearable. After work, I drove down, and we had sushi/Asian with a bunch of his classmates, went to the hotel's club for a bit, and then went home.He drove my car the next morning which was great because I didn't have to drive, and we had time to grab coffee before I went to work. I ate lunch by the pool and talked to Heather on the phone.

It was a quiet, content lunch break. Tom picked me up after work, and we took a walk on the beach. I was kind of in a funk all week, and we realized it was because myattempt at somewhat establishing a routine in the two weeks of being here had been completely thrown off by his visit. I hadn't understood why I was so stressed out all week, but like everything else, talkingabout it solves Everything! Amazing what honest communication can do. After our stroll, we went home, made nachos, and attempted to watch more Benjamin Button, but 20 minutes in, I was out, again.

Friday, Tom dropped me off and took my car again, and then he picked me up so we could go back to his hotel and hang out with his studio before they left the next morning. We missed the dinner with his studio, so we got pizza at a somewhat janky pizza place. It was so fun, and the bottle of wine didn't hurt, especially since moving here, my going out on the weekends has been limited to almost never. We went to the hotel and had drinks with friends in his studio. .. . The next morning I could hardly move, but I somehow made it to my car, and Tom drove to Panera where I got sick in the parking lot. Awesome. Thankfully, this made me feel much better, so I was able to enjoy the rest of the day. We spent the rest of that day on the beach napping and watching little kids squeal as the waves would chase them. It was bittersweet because it was a perfect afternoon that I never wanted to end and I knew he was leaving the next day.

We went home and cleaned up. Tom had made reservations for a very nice restaurant called 15th St Fisheries right on the canal. Everything about it was beautiful and perfect- the wine, our food, the dessert, the conversation. After dinner we walked around the pier fantasizing about the idea of owning one of the gigantic yachts there. Yeah right. When we got home we attempted to watch Planet Earth, but we were both falling asleep, more-so Tom than me. I didn't want to sleep because I knew the minute I did, it would be the next morning, and I would have to drive him to the airport. For his sake, I reluctantly did go to sleep and woke up at 6 so he could make his 7:30 flight.

Dropping Tom off at the airport was almost heartbreaking. Even though a month and a half isn't really that long, I think we've always been fighting time, and it hasn't gotten easier. It goes by too slowly when we are apart, and when we are together, it races by and before you know it, one of us has to leave the other. A bit unfair I think. Needless to say, I cried the entire drive home, when I went back to sleep, and then every time I woke up because he wasn't there, and he wouldn't be for a long time. I have no idea why I'm writing this, in a blog no less, but I'm bored at work and the feelings and memories are still vivid. I've never been able to keep to a journal, and I figure if I lose my memory in a horrible accident, I have something to reference to. -That isn't cynical at all, huh?

My roommate, Terrah, and I went shopping at a Huge mall at Sawcreek Mills about 15 minutes away. It is an outlet mall with almost every high-end stores you can think of. So yes, I basically went shopping to make myself feel better, which it did. And then I went for a long run/walk when I got home. Not a bad day all things considered :)